Mo Farah on his way to winning the 5000m at the Birmingham Diamond League (© Mark Shearman)
Newly crowned European 10,000m champion Mo Farah has confirmed that he will race over two miles at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix, an IAAF Diamond League meeting, on Sunday 24 August.
The final IAAF Diamond League of the season in the UK this year will be in the city’s Alexander Stadium but it will be the first opportunity this year for British athletics fans to cheer on the double world and Olympic champion after he had to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games last month.
It will also be his first race on British soil since his debut in the London Marathon in April.
“I was gutted to have to withdraw from the Commonwealth Games but am really pleased that I’ll be back on the track racing for British fans at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix,” said Farah, speaking after retaining his European 10,000m title in Zurich earlier this week.
“I’ve retained my European 10,000m title and hope to be carrying the 5000m gold medal with me (which will be contested in Zurich on Sunday) as well, when I come to Birmingham next week. I can’t wait to race again in Birmingham, I have competed there many times in the past and the fans always give all the athletes huge support.”
Farah will race over two miles against an international field including European Championship colleague and 10,000m silver medallist Andy Vernon, Kenya’s Emmanuel Bett, Belgium’s Bashir Abdi, USA’s Hassan Mead and New Zealand’s Zane Robertson.
Organisers for the IAAF
2014 IAAF Diamond League calendar
Doha, QAT – 9 May
Shanghai, CHN – 18 May
Eugene, USA – 31 May
Rome, ITA – 5 Jun
Oslo, NOR – 11 Jun
New York, USA – 14 Jun
Lausanne, SUI – 3 Jul
Paris, FRA – 5 Jul
Glasgow, GBR – 11-12 Jul
Monaco, MON – 18 Jul
Stockholm, SWE – 21 Aug
Birmingham, GBR – 24 Aug
Zurich, SUI – 28 Aug
Brussels, BEL – 5 Sep
